"Pound-for-pound, we've got one of the best comedy scenes in the country," said the Denver stand-up who helps run the Grawlix comedy troupe. "And I'm tired of Denver being overlooked because it doesn't have a festival to elevate it."

Unlike a lot of Mile High City arts boosters, Cayton-Holland has evidence to back up his assertion. He's logged thousands of miles traveling internationally for gigs, festivals, and TV recordings, flying the Denver comedy flag and taking lessons from similar scenes in Portland, Ore.; Austin, Texas; Minneapolis and Atlanta.

"If some of our Denver comedians can't always go out to New York and L.A. and make impressions with the industry and other comics, then New York and L.A. can come here," he said.

The two-day event features a mix of Denver's best comics, such as Chuck Roy, Jordon Doll and Mara Wiles, backed by acclaimed national stand-ups with numerous Comedy Central and TV credits, including Reggie Watts, Kurt Braunohler, Kyle Kinane, Matt Braunger and Beth Stelling.

"We have this great scene with two Comedy Works, an Improv, some B and C clubs and a flourishing alternative scene that's taken their cues from the music scene," said Cayton-Holland.

The nationally renowned Comedy Works has groomed its patrons to appreciate top-notch touring stand-ups, he said. But the High Plains Festival, which takes place at four venues along South Broadway Aug. 23-24, is a DIY event in the vein of The Denver Post's Underground Music Showcase. Some events, such as the running open-mic at the Hornet, are free.

The festival evolved parallel to but separate from the scene's commercial heavy hitters. In other words, Comedy Works and Denver's Comedy 103.1-FM station are not taking part.

"The spirit of Denver is pretty independent and art-focused, and the Grawlix guys and their earlier incarnations have shown you can be successful working that way," said Juett, who helps produce the monthly, sold-out Grawlix shows.

Juett won't reveal sales figures for High Plains, which is bankrolled by the Illegal Pete's burrito chain and others, but said it's already profitable. The national comics are not coming out on their own dimes, but their affection for Denver is a result of the relationships Cayton-Holland and his Grawlix cohorts have built outside the city, as well as the now-established circuit of comedy shows those comics play in Denver after each Grawlix visit.

"It's exciting when a whole scene comes together like that," said Braunohler, a national comic playing High Plains who released his debut "How Do I Land?" on Kill Rock Stars this week. "I came up in New York, and there were so many micro-scenes like that. It really builds and starts to snowball."

The Front Range has more open-mic comedy nights than ever — 19, according to comedy-tracking site 5280comedy.com — and a number of regular stand-up showcases at venues such as the Voodoo Comedy Lounge, the Bug Theatre and the Deer Pile.

"I think it could happen in any city, but it happened here because of a serendipitous turn of events," said Cayton-Holland. "I feel like it's the perfect microcosm of what comedy could be like in the U.S. right now."

John Wenzel: 303-954-1642, jwenzel@denverpost.com or twitter.com/johntwenzel

3. Kate Berlant This Brooklyn-based comic's festival acclaim is catching up with her: Comedy Central and Time Out New York recently named her a "comic to watch." 10 p.m. Aug. 23, Hi-Dive; 10 p.m. Aug. 24, Gothic Theatre

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